Convertible skirt and breeches.



C. D. THOMA.

CONVERTIBLE SKIRT AND BREECHES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.n91s.

1,297,932. Patented Mar. 18,1639.

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INVENTOR Cora/lie D. Thoma -m/ddw. Z5 35 By A m -e A TTOR/VEYS G. D. THOMA.

CONVERTIBLE SKIRT AND BREECHES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1918.

1,297,932. Patented Mar. 18. 1919.

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WITNESSES lNl/E/VTOR 6 Cora/fie, D Thoma y wzm/c u/LL. By 2;: T

V J ATTORNEYS and has p UNITED STATES ATEZNT orricii.

CORALLIE D. THOMA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONVERTIBLE SKIRT AND BREECHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed July 24, 1918. Serial No. 246,541.

construction of a ladys outer garment adapting it interchangeably for use as either a skirt of'walking length or as bloomers or breaches.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide in a convertible garment a special arrangement vof fastening devices whereby in the transformation into the form of the breeches the design of the garment across the hips is so modified as to present the wide military effect even though the skirt presents narrow hip lines.

A still further object of this invention is to so design or construct a ladys garment as to facilitate the application-thereof to a person and the transformation from one adaptation to the other and to insure the neatest and best appearance'i'rrespective of the particular adaptation.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combinationof parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figures 1 and 2 are respectively front and rear elevations of the garment adjusted and worn as a skirt.

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively front and rear elevations-of the same garment transformed into breeches.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the garment laid out fiat and with the vertical row of rear buttons fastened as in Fig. '2. Fig. 6 is a front view of the skirt opened articular reference to a peculiar from the bottom and indicating at the right side of the figure one of the first steps in converting the garment into breeches.

, Fig. 7 shows a succeeding step, and particglarly the manner of adjustingthe crotch; an

Fig. 8 is an inside perspective view showing especially the finishing appearance of the right leg of the breeches.

In the consideration of this garment it will be understood that some sultable coat is intended to be worn to cover the hips, but such feature not constituting any part of this invention is not illustrated.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, I show a garment having a. waistline 10 which obviously may be provided with a belt or may be attached to any suitable bodice or waist 11, but which per 86 has no direct bearing upon the case. The garment may be described as comprising right and left side fronts 13 and l-fi respectively, and right and left side backs 15 and 1.6. The right side front 13 is provided along its vertical edge 17 with a series of buttonholes 18 adapted to cooperate with a similar series of buttons 19 secured along the vertical edge 20 of the left side front 14:. While I indicate in this connection buttons and buttonholes, I wish it to be'understood once for all that while I refer specifically in this description to certain types of fasteners I do not propose to be limited in the practice of the invention to any particular fasteners since it is obvious that the character of the fasteners employed is of no particular moment. I do show, however, such fasteners as have been found by me in practice to be suitable for the .purposes for which they are intended.

Upon each of the fronts are provided pockets indicated herein as patch pockets 21 and 22 for the usual purpose and also to hide certain features referred to below, the pockets being located for this reason upon the upper portions of the side fronts.

The side backs 15 and 16 are united permanently along their upper adjacent edges in a seam 23 while the lower end portions of these parts are provided with buttons 24: and cooperating buttonholes 25 closing the skirt at the bottom as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Any desired amount of fullness in the skirt may be provided according to the figure to be fitted or the desires of the "particular wearer. it is to be understood obviously that any desired material or materials may be employed in the construction of the garment and that the same may be finished in 'arious ways according to individual taste.

Under the pocket 21 the garment is provided with a buttonhole 26 and under the other pocket the garment is provided with a button 27. Adjacent to the edge 17 of the right side front are arranged a row of snap fastener sockets 28, 29, 30, and 31. These are fastened upon the inner face of the garment and extend from the groin portion or opposite the pocket down to the corner or point 32. Between the last socket 31 and the point 32 is secured a hook 33. On the outer face of the same half of the garment are fastened a series of snap fastener heads 28, 29, 30 and 31 suitably spaced and located for cooperation with the correspondingly numbered socket members, and also I provide an eye 33' for cooperation with the hook 33. The left half of the garment is similarly provided with a row of socket members 28, 29 30*, and 31 for cooperation with the socket member heads 28*, 29 30 and 31. Also 1 indicate a hook 33* and eye 33*.

Adjacent to the vertical edge 20 of the left side front 5 provide between the third and fourth buttons 19 a vertically arranged buttonhole 3d.

The transformation of the garment into breeches will now be appreciated in view of the features of construction. above enumerated. The wearer loosens the buttons 2% at the back and most of the buttons 19 in front as indicated in Fig. 6, she then grasps one of the uppermost buttons 2% and draws it and the portion of the garment to which it is attached directly forward and upward along the crotch and passes said button outward through the buttonhole 3% as indicated in Fig. 7. This makes a substantial closure for the crotch, and has the additional important function of causing the lateral bulging of the garment at the hips to which reference has been made above. It will be noted in this connection that the button just referred to is worn by the opposite half of the garment from that which has the buttonhole 34:. This button though irregularly spaced when attached as indicated is inconspicuous for the reason that it is covered by the edge portion 17 of the right side front 13 in practice. The point 35 of the left side back is then drawn directly forward between the'legs and around the front of the left leg, and the buttonhole 25 thereof is engaged over the button 27, the outer face of this point portion 35 coming against the inner face of the left side front 1 This movement or adjustment of the lower portion of into the eye 33. After the left leg portion is thus adjusted the point 36 of the right leg portionis then brought forward and upward around the front part of the right leg and the button 2% carried thereby is slipped through the buttonhcle 26 into or beneath the pocket 21, the outer face of the corner portion being brought directly against the inner face of that portion of the garment having the hole 26. Next the snap fastener sockets 28 to 31 are snapped directly over the correspondingly numbered snap fastener heads 28 to 31, and finally the hook 33 is engaged in the eye 33 below the right knee. lhis arrangement provides for the wide seat for the breeches and also the military efiect of the patches at the inside of the knees as well as the snug cuff effect 37 under the knees. The idle buttons 19 and buttonholes 18 resulting along the inner faces of the legs are negligible in practice, as likewise are the snap fasteners and hooks and eyes at the back when the garment is worn as a skirt.

l claim:

1. The herein described convertible skirt and breeches, the same comprising right and left side portions permanently connected adjacent to the waistline by a vertical seam, the two side portions being detach-ably closed from said seam down to the lower edge and along another portion of the garment remote from said scam, means to utiline a portion of the attachment means aforesaid to secure one side portion to diagonally opposite part of the other side portion when worn as breeches, and auxiliary fastening devices to adjust the lower portion of each side portion as a breeches leg.

2. The herein described convertible nient comprising skirt portions, means to detachably connect said portions in skirt formation, said attachment devices being separated when converted from skirt to breeches, means to utilize a portion of said fastening devices to adjust the breeches legs and produce a military hip design, and auxiliary fastening devices to complete the adjustment with the breeches legs.

8. The herein described convertible arment adapted to be worn either as a skirt or as breeches, the same comprising right ineness and left side portions, means to attach said ment means e08 eratin with the fastening side portions together in skint formation, means beneath t e poo ets as a part of the pockets formed on the side portions,v auxilmeans to adjust the breeches legs, and auxil- 10 iary fastening means beneath said pockets, iary separable fasteners serving to complete the first mentioned attaching means being the leg adjustments along the insides of the separated in the conversion of the garment legs.

into breeohes and a portion of said attachv CORALLIE D. THOMA. 

